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501 Words Plus A Sentence… the Daily Prompt edition

I am using a recent Daily Prompt Challenge to hopefully introduce you to a wonderful exercise I’ve had the pleasure of being involved with, in Master Class 2013. I decided to do so, simply because the Prompt asked us to do what Master Class does every week. Take a random sentence from a piece of literature (or sometimes music), and wrap a post around it. I hope you come play along with both, and as always, your feedback is appreciated!

Rossamund was a boy with a girl’s name.

And no, not anything like “Sue.” Because “Sue” would’ve been too easy. “Sue” would’ve had the children laughing at Rossamund over a staid old Johnny Cash song, though none of them would’ve realized it in the first.

A name like “Sue” would have had them delighting, similar to the way that they did over the girl who decided to call herself “Johnny.” And she did so, only after she’d been liberated by the character in the Waterboys song of the same name. A character that could not be laughed at, as she had made a decision, a conscious choice – versus being simply thrown under some linguistic bus.

So they called him “Rossa,” the stupid kids, they did. Not because they were sure they could, but simply because it sounded hateful and racist enough. And they pulled on his every heart string and physical attribute, to make him aware of their hatred of him.

A hatred, mind you, that grew out of a name. Simply a name, misplaced. A name that, had it been assigned to a person with the correct bits, wouldn’t have been an issue at all.

Johnny felt for him, she always had, even before she had reborn herself. But Rossa – well, Rossamund – was having none of her “pity.” To him, it was all a waste. A sham. To him, all she could offer was a little piece of inconsequential peace, in a vast ocean of hate and ignorance.

No, for him, it wouldn’t be all right until he saw his name in lights. Not until he was standing proudly atop of – well – atop of whatever it is that is the highest thing you can stick on a Goddamned stage. Standing upon it, and dazzling his audience with the greatest magic ever known. Or the most heartbreaking song. Or the funniest joke, or whatever. He didn’t really give a good flip HOW he was going to achieve his fame, that Rossamund. Not really. Not as long as his name, HIS name – “MR. Rossamund Laura” – was the one that was up there in the marquee, and drawing in crowds like head lice to a Bee Gees buffet.

Of course poor Rossa – well – Rossamund, never was quite able to come to grips with the fact that mere dreams weren’t the same thing as effort, and cockiness wasn’t nearly the same thing as confidence. And talent? Well, you sorta had to have some – if even just a bit – in order to draw in them crowds. As a result, he would never see his name in lights. Well, that’s not entirely true. He did get to see at least a bit, after Johnny had asked to borrow a slice of it to help aid her in her career, seeing as she felt that “ MZ. Johnny Rossamund” had just about the perfect ring to it. And while the name alone didn’t bring in the boys, the skills she possessed, whether it be on the pole or the lap – well – it sure as hell kept them there, at least.

1. I love the emotional pull that begins the story. 2. I love that you gave a girl a boys name and she tried to friend Rossamund. 3. The double damned of a girls name for his full name was a really good twist. 4. Rossamund’s lack of effort reminds me of my younger stepson. He wants to be an NFL star, yet, though he has the opportunity, won’t play on his school football team (reasons as yet unknown. He says its his knee yet does any other sport just fine. Methinks it has more to do with his “lack of effort” in his grades. See what I did there?) 5. The ending took me by surprise with the shift from Rossamund to Johnny, and I realized it really wasn’t a surprise that she got the fame, though I woud have liked (personally) a little bit of Rossamund’s reaction to her using his name for fame. That fell a little flat for me, however the story is absolutely wonderful in its out of the box creativity. Well done, good sir!

I really want to thank you for this – it’s wonderful to receive this sort of feedback!

I had thought somewhat about provided a glimpse into the mind of Rossa – well – Rossamund, after the final cards had been laid out, but felt that I had throughout made him so aloof, so “above it all” that I wasn’t certain how to flesh out a believable reaction. And then I decided that, since it was ultimately Johnny’s story in the end anyway. he was allowed to receive the reward for his efforts, and just simply vanish from sight. These two might make for a good story though (I know, I know, “now HOW many times have you said THAT, troy???”)

Again, thanks Prof, and as an aside – YES! – I will be making a t-shirt now that states solely, troy P.: out of the box creativity.

I should never read the other comments first. I always feel like I missed something.
But, whatever. What I liked was the “voice”, easy to hear, easy to follow. Whether it was Rossa, or Johnny, or just the narrator. I liked it.